Faith-Based Initiative Offers Legal Aid Services

A Tennessee faith-based initiative is now providing attorneys at no cost to needy members of houses of worship, an unusual approach compared to most legal aid programs across the country. "People show up every day at churches and synagogues and mosques, and they may not ask for legal help," Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Connie Clark said about the program. "They may need food assistance. But often there is an underlying legal problem." Clark, who helped the faith-based initiative get off the ground, told the Nashville City Paper that, "We realized we can help more people by going to where they are already going for help."